A known method of applying a chrome-like finish for a spray-on electroless plating system first applies a base coat to a work piece. An example of a base coat for the known system is a two-component urethane coating such as Cosmichrome™ Basecoat available from Cosmichrome, Inc. of Brossard, Quebec, Canada. Another base coat which may be used is formulated using an alkyd resin, and is also sold by Cosmichrome, Inc. The base coat is then dried and sprayed with a stannous chloride solution. The work piece is then rinsed with distilled or de-ionized water. Silver nitrate solution and reducer are then simultaneously sprayed onto the work piece. The work piece is then rinsed with distilled or de-ionized water. The work piece is then dried. Finally, it is known to apply a solvent-based top coat over the reflective finish that has been applied to the work piece. What is meant by “solvent-based” is that the solvent of the top coating is an organic based solvent that is not water.
This known electroless silver plating method can provide very nice results; however, the range of temperatures that the finished work piece can sustain and the durability of the reflective coating on the work piece can be improved. Moreover, it has been found that the solvent-based top coat can be removed and the top coat can sometimes remove the reflective layer from the base coat when scratched or removed from the work piece.